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Geoff Vernon
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Geoff Vernon has been associated with the Festival Drayton Centre since 1989. Their activities include providing coffee and light refreshments on market days and on Saturdays. The service is run by volunteers and provides a steady income stream of about £2000 per year. The catering facilities are also available to groups using the Centre. Between 700 - 900 people use the Centre each week and it provides a venue activities ranging from Age Concern Drop in Centre to Kung Fu and Karate classes. Geoff was born in Stafford. His father was a railway man who kept pigs in the back yard. He recalls the pig being killed and hung up at home. Geoff worked for Lloyds Bank when he was 16 and in 1972 he was appointed manager at the Market Drayton branch. The bank was looking to extend its agricultural customer base. Computerisation had taken away many of the clerical chores and Geoff was encouraged build up personal relations with customers and was helped by the strong ties between members of the rural community. Customers expected to see the manager. He left the bank in 1990 when it was restructured, worked as a financial consultant for 4.5 years and then for Barbers as Partnership Administrator. |
On his arrival in town Geoff inherited responsibilities
as Treasurer to local voluntary groups. He joined the independent
Festival Drayton Association in 1980 when it took over the organisation
of social and cultural events from the Town Council sub committee.
He became Chair in 1984 and got involved in the arrangements
that brought the redundant Methodist Chapel into community ownership
as the Festival Drayton Centre. The Festival Association continued
to run up to 40 community Arts and Entertainment events at different
venues at the end of May each year and other events throughout
the year until the late 1980's when it's activities were taken
over by the Carnival Committee in 1990. The focus of the Association
moved on to bricks and mortar and the need to extend the Festival
Centre to create a proper Arts and Cultural venue in the town.
Now with the aid of funds from a variety of sources, the Centre
the concept is being realised. Geoff expects the Association
to focus once more on the idea of a community festival of the
visual and performance arts. The possibilities will be governed
only by the 200 seat capacity. This suggests a niche market
for performances that bring performers and audiences into a
closer relationship than that experienced in large auditoriums.
The facilities now meet those expected by performers in high
demand. Early testing of the market already shows that if the
event is right people will be drawn into the town and will be
looking for restaurants and even places to stay overnight. The
centre will still be run by volunteers although part-time staff
will be needed to manage and promote the events. Geoff follows his father's interest in the railways. He lived near the London North West line in Stafford and reads and visits the railways when time permits. Geoff is above all enthused by the possibility of people of wonderful talent coming into town and performing before an audience of local people and visitors. Although he has reduced many of his local commitments he remains Treasurer of Christ Church P.C.C. |
Looking for |
Offering to |
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Geoff wants to draw attention to the significance of the role of the improved Festival Drayton Centre building to social and cultural life within the community and to engage with others to maximise the advantages, including economic opportunities, to bring local benefit. |
Geoff offers a multi-purpose space available to others.He offers to act as access to groups who use the building and who are represented on the Festival Drayton Centre. Management CommitteeGeoff also offers access to his network of contacts up and down the country of people running similar venues and his contacts with performers and agents. |
List of other members with a special interests in
Contact
Woodside, Quarry Bank Road, Market Drayton TF9 1DR
Phone: 01630.652893
e-mail geoff.vernon@talk21.com
Chilhood Memory
My mother used to run a cake stall at Church events.
I was the youngest of 3 sons and got roped in to assist. We used to
have a fete to raise funds for missionaries, in the garden of a black
and white house. I was the youngest there. I helped serve
the chocolate cake. I ran errands. Everyone spoke to me and kept me
involved. It felt like I was being inducted into the church community.
I can still hear the sound of women talking and skittles going over.
Childhood dish or drink
Yorkshire pudding in a big bowl on it's own with golden syrup on it. Served as a pudding course. The syrup melting because it was warm. Ate it with a spoon. Never seen it since